"You seem nervous." Cullen glances over to me from the driver seat.
Outside the passenger seat window was a fancy restaurant Scarlett had made everyone meet up at for the New Years party tonight.
"I'm not nervous, just exhausted." I deadpan.
Tonight, was important to Scarlett and I knew that but with how rocky things have been with Cullen recently, I was not in the mood to spend tonight pretending to be his perfect girlfriend and not Scarlett's affair.
"Let's just try to make the best out of tonight, okay?" He puts his hand on mine, rubbing his thumb over my knuckle.
All I could imagine in this moment was how and I wished his hand was Scarlett's right now and how bad I wish this friend of his would not show up tonight.
Stepping out of the car, Cullen comes around taking my hand in his to guide us in.
I spent hours trying to look my best tonight, doing my hair, makeup, and then to top it all off, wearing the red dress Scarlett had bought for me. Cullen thought I looked nice, but I didn't care about his validation or even what he thought about how I looked.
Inside was a large open bar with dim lighting and at the hostess stand stood a man in a suit who greeted us both with a nodding smile.
"Lenore Enterprises?" He asks politely.
I stand beside Cullen with some distance to allow him to speak.
"Yes."
"Right this way please."
We follow the hostess through a hallway leading into a private event room and inside was a large table big enough to seat at least twenty people.
Navy blue flora wallpaper surrounded the room until my eyes fell on Scarlett who sat at the other end of the table, speaking to a few other employees I didn't recognize.
"Looks like the she devil herself is on time for once." Cullen mutters in my ear.
I nearly spin around to retort something snarky back to him so I can defend Scarlett, but I bite my tongue knowing it wasn't worth the trouble.
We make our way around the table and Scarlett finally notices my presences and waves me over to a seat next to her.
"Should I be looking for a seating chart?" I joke.
She rolls her eyes playfully at me, Cleary unamused by my sarcasm.
"Just sit-down Carlisle, have a drink perhaps."
She slides me a glass of what looks to be alcohol.
"You know I'm underage right? What even is that?"
Placing myself next to her, Cullen makes his way sitting on the other side of me, greeting some other coworkers of ours.
"Champagne Darling." She whispers in my ear.
The cold shover ran down my spine as her breath caressed my skin like a ghost's touch.
Around us, no one is even paying attention to how close her hand was to mine under the table. Not a single person was even looking in our direction. It was like she could kiss me right here in front of the whole room and the wolrd would still go on.
As more people enter, my eyes land on a very beautiful young women with brunette hair and blue eyes.
Her long, elegant silver dress danced across the floor as she walked and beside me, Cullen's attention zeroed in on this woman as if she was the only person in the room.
Even Scarlett's attention was shifted from me to her as she walked in, and I could see on the plastered fear on her face that this was someone she recognized.
I did not expect her to not only smile at Cullen as she walked in but made her way to the empty seat next to him and placed herself there, engulfing him into a not so platonic hug.
Their hug abruptly ends when Cullen turns to me, clearing his throat.
"Um Lilith this is Avery, my friend I told you about."
My teeth clench together in a not so friendly manor, holding my tongue to say something I shouldn't.
She extends her hand past Cullen into my direction, happily smiling with no sense of threat or suspicion.
"It's so good to finally meet you Lilith, Cullen has told me so much about you." She chimes.
Why are you being so nice. I know you're fucking him.
I'm hesitant but I take her hand into a short shake with a fake smile.
"Well, I'm afraid I can't say the same about you." I purse through my lips.
Cullen stiffens beside me, quickly blurting into our conversation.
"Well, I'm really glad we could all be here tonight for Ms. Lenore's party." He winks to Scarlett.
She doesn't even flinch or smile back at him, only staring intently between him and Avery.
An hour goes by and by now Cullen, Avery, and Scarlett have gotten a few drinks into all of them along with the whole table of coworkers while the champagne glass Scarlett slide over to me, sits untouched.
I spend the time listening into Cullen and Avery banter back and forth like a happily married couple while he hardly even looks at me.
Every now and then Scarlett would try to start up conversation with me but I'm far too antagonized to even look away from them.
"Oh! And then he told me that I was a horrible work partner!" Avery exclaims to Cullen.
I could hardly sit here while watching him lie to me and have her also be in on his lies.
"Hey Cullen." I interrupt them.
His head turns in an awkward direction to face me while having his body still face Avery.
"You should tell Avery about how you asked me to be your girlfriend, I'm sure shed love to hear all about our love story don't you think?"
Past Cullen's shoulder, Avery's face goes pale, and Cullen's fists tighten together.
I fucking knew it.
"Wait. Lilith is your girlfriend?" Avery interjects.
Glossy eyes were all I could see before Cullen switches his glare back to her.
"Avery please, you have to understand, I meant to tell you, but I didn't know how to..." He trails off.
She stands from her seat, tears running down her face with the abundant look fo betrayal.
"Fuck you Cullen. For once in my life, I finally thought I found an honest, good guy who loved me for me, but I was wrong, you're just like the rest of them." She snaps.
Avery spins around, pushing her way past the chairs and people leaving straight of the door, not taking a second to look back at Cullen who was running after her, calling out her name.
"Avery please, just let me explain!"
He stops just before reaching the door standing there hopeless. He finally turns back to me with shame written on his face.
"Lilith please... you have to listen to me." He rushes back over to me now.
Funny how he seems so concerned about me now, but he wasn't just a few moments ago.
"You're fucking pathetic Cullen." I stand up.
I knew it was coming but seeing that look of shame and infidelity on his face after he choose her over me, I couldn't help but feel the tears run across my cheeks.
"I meant to tell you everything Lilith I did, but the day I tried to, you just pushed me off and there was never a right time... Lilith I'm so sorry."
He reaches for me, but I step away from him, staring at him with empty eyes.
"You were my best friend Cullen, my best god damn friend and now... I can't even look at you." I stammer out through my tears before pushing past Cullen.
I feel my feet head straight for the door when Scarlett's voice calls behind me.
"Lilith wait!"
I don't wait, I don't even dare look back to see Cullen's dismissive face. I simply force myself out the door feeling empty.